John Paintsil denies stabbing wife

Deputy Black Stars captain John Paintsil has challenged assertions by the police that he stabbed his wife during a heated argument at their Trasaaco Valley residence at East Legon in Accra.

The defender was last week Friday arrested and later released by the police after reports that he stabbed his wife, Richlove Paintsil, in one of her eyes, in a case most gender activists say could be described as domestic abuse.

But Mr. Paintsil, who acknowledges an incident happened between him and his wife, has however denied stabbing her.

Ebenezer Aidoo, Spokesperson for the defender told Joy News there was a misunderstanding between the couple which they have resolved amicably and “they are living peacefully now.”

The family, he said, is disturbed by police account of the incident and their report that they are waiting for a medical report of Richlove Painstil to ascertain whether they should charge the Black Stars player.

The police, he added, did a great disservice to the credibility of the player and that “John in his right frame of senses cannot take a knife and stab the wife,” who has given him three kids.

Meanwhile, Spokesperson for the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Ibrahim Sani Daara has said he is disappointed with the manner with which some media houses have reported the incident without checking their facts.

According to him, “We (GFA) want to say that he (John Pantsil) has been released and bailed. We want to state for the record that there was no stabbing; the woman (Richlove Pantsil) was not unconscious, she did not jump a wall as reported in many media. She only spent some few minutes at the hospital for doctors to check on her.”

“I (Sannie Daara) want to tell the press not to get ahead of time in reporting this matter. We (GFA) are disappointed in some members of the media for their reportage without confirming an aspect of the report claiming there was stabbing in the incident.

“Yes, there was a domestic affair and domestic incident, but there was no stabbing. Richlove is fine, John is fine, they have reconciled and they (the Pantsils) are going home together…So, as and when we have any further information, we (GFA) will inform you the media,” he added.